YORKSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB February 2020 Issue 145 A Warm Welcome to Dawid Malan, who has joined Yorkshire for 2020 PUBLISHED BY: YORKSHIRE CCC SOUTHERN GROUP Contents Editorial page 3 Annual Lunch Report page 6 Dates for Your Diary page 8 Articles page 10 Fixtures page 17 ^ŽƵƚŚĞƌŶ'ƌŽƵƉEĞǁƐŝƐƉƵďůŝƐŚĞĚďLJzŽƌŬƐŚŝƌĞ^ŽƵƚŚĞƌŶ'ƌŽƵƉ WKŽdžϲϬϮϰ͕>ĞŝŐŚƚŽŶƵnjnjĂƌĚ͕>hϳϮ^ tĞďƐŝƚĞ͗ https://yorkshireccc.com/societies/yorkshire-southern-group ŵĂŝů͗ [email protected] ůůĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƚŝŽŶƐ ŽĨĨĞƌĞĚĨŽƌƉƵďůŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ďĞƐĞŶƚƚŽƚŚĞĚŝƚŽƌ͗ EĞĚ,Žůƚ͕ϭZLJĞǁŽƌƚŚZŽĂĚ͕ŚĂƌůƚŽŶ <ŝŶŐƐ͕ŚĞůƚĞŶŚĂŵ͕ '>ϱϮϲ>' ŵĂŝů͗ŶĞĚŚŽůƚϱϰΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ WAIVER While every effort is made by Yorkshire CCC Southern Group to ensure the accuracy and impartiality of articles in this publication, it should be appreciated that they may be based on, or contain, information provided by Third Party sources over which the Editor and YCCCSG have no control, and which may sometimes be out of date. Editorial We have entered 2020. As the editor of this newsletter I shall be glad when it is over, and its ambiguity ended. I am training myself to refer to the Tee 20, or even, through clenched teeth, ‘the Blast’ to avoid confusion. Will this year’s competition be referred to as the 2020 20/20? Or 20 20 squared perhaps? In any case its profile is likely to be reduced; the ECB’s attention is elsewhere now. As far as most members’ main concern, the County Championship, is concerned, there are changes in scheduling to be faced. So we have no repeat trip to Canterbury this year, as Kent are one of those counties against whom we have just one fixture. On the other hand, it will be nice to be part of the Cheltenham Cricket Festival again (see ‘Events’ in this context). Alongside these matches sit the unpredictable remains of the fifty over competition. It has now been described as a ‘development competition’ by some in power. It is to be hoped that that isn’t in fact merely code for ‘of no importance’. To look on the bright side, it may at least allow supporters to see more of some fresh faces, and to enjoy out-ground venues, both home and away. If this the long term future of this competition, then there is surely an opportunity here to look at some method of involving the minor counties, as used to be the case in the old Gillette Cup. The winter’s cricket has had a mixed impact. It’s a strange business observing events as a Yorkshire supporter (or a supporter of any other county I suppose, but feelings don’t really run as deep elsewhere). If Jonny Bairstow isn’t one of the best three or four English qualified batsmen, I’ve not been paying sufficient attention over the last few years. Of course we all want him to have a successful test career. Yet the impact of the torrent of international matches in recent years has been to leave county supporters with a sense of resentment; I won’t be the only Yorkshire member feeling a touch of “Well, if they’re stupid enough to leave him out, it’s an ill wind…” Whatever follows, we wish him all the best for 2020. Jonny’s mixed year however surely reflects an ongoing issue regarding the balance between the skills required for limited over cricket, in which a very high scoring rate is now necessary, and those of first class, particularly test cricket. He has clearly established himself as a fixture at the top of England’s ‘white ball’ order, and a desirable signing for the short form of the game across the globe. Yet there is a danger that the approach required for this has diminished his capacity to build test innings. He is not, I think, alone in this. For some followers of the game, the difference of approach is still not appreciated. After only six overs of the first one day international in South Africa, cricinfo received its first email saying that Jason Roy should be in the test side. It was a pleasure to see England win the test series in South Africa. The significance of that achievement will become clearer once the side faces tougher 3 opposition. Nevertheless there was considerable relief in seeing a top order that was prepared to graft to establish an early advantage on which the middle order stroke makers could build later. By the time of the next newsletter the new season will be upon us. I hope it is a successful one, and above all an enjoyable one for all members. May I finish by recommending to you the package of events put together by June Hirst and outlined on page 8. AGM th 5 May, 2pm See ‘Events’ 4 Overseas Players for 2020 Ravichandran Ashwin Keshan Maharaj Nicholas Pooran 5 The 2019 Annual Lunch Anthony Bradbury On 19th October, two days before Trafalgar Day to remind us of a past decisive battle with the French, London staged a huge demonstration within the Brexit Battle in competition with the Southern Group Lunch. Both events were held within the environs of Whitehall. Those who succeeded in reaching the Civil Service Club, in Great Scotland Yard, found within an atmosphere of goodwill towards all men, and gladly towards Yorkshire County Cricket Club. A good attendance joined our Chairman Ned Holt in welcoming our supportive friend Geoff Cope, President of the County Club, and another fine friend, Martyn Moxon the Yorkshire Director of Cricket, who was accompanied by his wife Sue. The Civil Service Club provided a hugely ample lunch based around roast lamb and many a vegetable, followed by toffee, walnut and rum pudding. All this was served by the Club staff with great efficiency, within the arrangements so carefully prepared by our own June Hirst. Martyn had the task of showing optimism about the next Yorkshire season against a background of the 2019 summer which he had recently described in the Southern Group Newsletter as at times “very disappointing and frustrating”. He emphasised that the make up of the First XI team was still in a state of flux, rather like the Yorkshire side which eventually evolved into the champions of 2014 and 2015. He did accept that the current batting line up was fragile and some players did not yet know their own best game (which included an ability to play themselves in) and that these players though capable still needed more time to develop. To support such players he hoped to bring in to the side a batsman or batsmen of experienced quality. He declined to be drawn on whether Malan, currently of Middlesex, was a target signing. The other main issue upon which he spoke was the conflict for batsmen between first- class cricket and the short form matches. Batting in T20 matches against white balls was usually much easier than the longer game where the ball might be swinging in and out for material periods. The players did need to learn how to adapt to these different formats, yet it was not feasible to try and restrict some players to red ball matches. He cited Adam Lyth and Tom Kohler-Cadmore as batsmen who would be playing short form cricket in Bangladesh and Australia in the coming winter and who would earn significantly more for a few weeks of that cricket than in a full season for Yorkshire. Martyn said that the Yorkshire Club had a big challenge to resolve in the spin bowling department for in addition to spin bowling skills the Club needed to find spinners who 6 could bat further up the order than at no.8 downwards. Maharaj had been of benefit to the Club for his ability to bat in about the no.7 position. He gave some support for the new 100 ball competition mainly because it was to be shown on Free to Air TV and that could generate much needed interest from school children who might in time provide a wider base for future players than now exists. Martyn’s talk was thoughtful and welcome. He was not yet promising gold at the end of a tunnel, but he indicated the direction that he was trying to develop to bring the County Club back into successful days. John Kirkland gave an amusing and cheerful Vote of Thanks. He mentioned the example of Martyn Moxon making his own maiden century in his debut match in 5½ hours, and echoed the thoughts of his audience that our speaker with June Hirst and the Civil Service Club had provided us all with another happy lunch. Chairman and guests, with our reporter conveniently caught in the background. With thanks to David Hirst for the photograph. 7 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2020 JUNE HIRST A happy New Year to you all and we hope you will enjoy the new cricket season. Your committee are pleased to offer the following events in 2020: SUNDAY, 19 APRIL – CHELMSFORD This is the first day of the county championship match against Essex and we hope the April weather allows us some cricket. As in previous years we will be gathering at lunchtime in the nearby Queen’s Head pub, 30 Lower Anchor Street, Chelmsford CM2 OAS for a drink and a natter about the oncoming season. There is limited food available at the pub. TUESDAY, 5 MAY - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given that The Yorkshire CCC Southern Group’s AGM will be held on this day at the Cittie of Yorke pub, 22 High Holborn, London WC1V 6BN at 2.00pm. The formal notice and agenda will be included in the April Newsletter. SATURDAY, 23 MAY – NORTHAMPTON We hope you can join us for the second day of this CC1 match against Northants.